Crankcase ventilation valve and fuel economizer



Oct. 21, 1969 G. v. MUSTAIN ETAL 3,473,521

CRANKCASE VENTILATION VALVE AND FUEL ECONOMIZER Filed Sept. 13, 1967George M. Musfain Sherman C. Hall/day INVENTORS WW M US. Cl. 123-119 8Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ventilation assembly including vaporconveying passage means communicating the interior of the intakemanifold of an associated internal combustion engine with a source ofcrankcase and piston blow-by vapors produced by the internal combustionengine and with vacuum actuatable valve means interposed in the vaporconveying passage means and actuatable by engine vacuum to allow freeflow of vapors through the passage means in response to an increase inmanifold vacuum and to terminate the free flow of vapors through thepassage means in response to a low vacuum condition being present in theintake manifold of the associated engine.

The ventilation assembly of the instant invention has been specificallydesigned for ready mounting on substantially all types of motor vehiclecombustion engines presently in use and to perform in such a manner thatthe crankcase vapor emission and exhaust emission of smog supportingimpurities from an associated engine will be greatly controlled.

Further, the ventilation assembly has also been designed to function asa fuel economizer by routing at least some of the combustible crankcasevapors into the intake passages of an associated engine.

The ventilation assembly is constructed in a manner whereby it may bereadily operatively associated with substantially all types ofconventional internal combustion engines and its operation requiringfrequency maintenance or replacement intervals.

The main object of this invention is to provide a ventilation assemblyfor the crankcase of an internal combustion engine and which willprovide desired ventilation as well as route the ventilated crankcasevapors into the intake passages of the associated engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ventilation assemblywhich includes structural features thereof adapting it for use wtihvarious types of conventional internal combustion engines.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a crankcaseventilation assembly including structural features thereof which may beadjusted and utilized to slightly modify the crankcase ventilation valveso as to be specifically adapted for use with various types of internalcombustion engines.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ventilation valveassembly constructed in a manner such that it may be operativelycommunicated with a source of crankcase and piston blow-by vapors atseveral locations on an associated internal combustion engine such asthe draft tube, rocker arm covers or any fitting specifically providedfor establishing communication with the interior of the crankcase.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a ventilation assembly in accordance with the precedingobjects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be ofsimple construction and automatic in operation so as to provide a hiredStates Patent 3,473,521 Patented Oct. 21, 1969 device that will beeconomically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free inoperation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic top plan view of a conventional form of internalcombustion engine with which the ventilation valve assembly of theinstant invention is operatively associated;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by section line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 2but illustrating a modified form of ventilation valve assembly; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the valvemember utilized in the valve assembly of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a conventional form of V-8 internal combustion engineincluding an intake manifold 12, a pair of rocker arm covers 14 and adistributor assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 16including a vacuum advance assembly 18 actuated by a vacuum line 20communicating the vacuum advance assembly with the interior of theintake manifold 12.

The ventilation valve assembly is referred to in general by thereference numeral 22 and includes a housing assembly referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 24 including first and second sections28 and 30 removably secured together by means of suitable fasteners 32.

The first section 28 of the housing section 24 has a flexible diaphragm34 disposed therein including a central movable portion 36 to which oneend of a valve actuator rod 38 is secured in any convenient manner. Thediaphragm 34 divides the interior of the housing assembly 24 into firstand second compartments 39 and 40 and the housing assembly 24 includesan internally threaded inlet 42 opening into the first compartment 39and an outlet neck portion 44 opening outwardly of the first compartment39. Further, the second section 30 defines a conical valve seat 46 atthe inner end of the threaded inlet 42 with which a disk-shaped valvehead 48 carried by the end of the valve actuating rod 38 remote from thediaphragm 34 is operatively associated. The valve head 48 includes apair of small bleed passages 0r bores 50 formed therethrough and abaffle plate 52 is carried by the valve actuating rod 38 intermediatethe valve head 48 and the diaphragm 34.

The housing assembly 24 defines a small diameter outwardly projectingneck portion 54 which opens into the second compartment 40 and has oneend of a vacuum line 56 secured to its outer end, the other end of thevacuum line 56 being operatively communicated with the vacuum line 20 asat 58.

The first section 28 of the housing assembly 24 also defines a neckportion 69 in whose outer end an abutment sleeve 62 is threadedlyengaged, the abutment sleeve 62 having an abutment screw 64 threadedtherethrough. The sleeve 62 is threadedly engaged in the outer end ofthe neck portion 60 and the abutment screw 64 includes a diametricallyreduced inner end portion 66 which is received through an abutmentWasher 68 disposed within the neck portion 60. A compression spring 70is disposed between the washer 68 and the movable portion 36 of thediaphragm 34 and thereby yieldingly urges the movable portion 36downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. Thus, the spring 70yieldingly urges the valve head 48 toward seated engagement with thevalve seat 46 at the inner end of the inlet 42.

The threaded inlet 42 has one end of a threaded nipple 72 securedtherein and the other end of the nipple 72 is threaded in a fitting 74carried by and opening into the top of one of the valve or rocker armcovers 14 thus communicating the nipple 72 with the interior of thecrankcase (not shown) of the internal combustion engine through therocker arm cover 14 from which the nipple 72 is supported.

The rocker arm cover 14 on the side of the engine 10 remote from thehousing assembly 24 is provided with a conventional oil filler openingor neck (not shown) with which a combined breather cap and closure 78 isremovably secured. The nipple 72 includes a laterally directed neck 89intermediate its opposite ends provided with a manual valve 82 and asmall flexible conduit 84 communicates the neck 80 with the interior ofthe breather cap 78 and therefore also with the interior of the rockerarm 14 from which the breather cap 78 is supported. Finally, a conduitmember 86 of larger diameter than the vacuum line 56 has one end thereofsecured to the outlet neck portion 44 and the other end thereof securedto a nipple 88 opening into the interior of the intake manifold justunder the throttle valves of the carburetor 90 secured on the manifold12. The fitting 88 may of course open either directly into the intakemanifold 12 or through a suitable plate provided for the purposeinterposed between the base of the carburetor 90 and the mounting flangeof the manifold 12 upon which the carburetor 20 is mounted.

In operation, upon a decrease in manifold vacuum the spring 70 will urgethe movable portion 36 downwardly and thus close the valve defined bythe valve head 48 allowing only slight communication between the nipple72 and the conduit or pipe 86 through the bores 50'. However, upon anincrease of manifold vacuum, the reduced pressure above the movableportion 36 will cause the later to move upwardly against the biasingforce of the spring 70 and thus the valve head 48 to also be liftedtoward the full open position. Of course, this will result in freecommunication of the interior of the nipple 72 with the interior of theconduit 86 and therefore crankcase vapors from the crankcase of theinternal combustion engine 10 may flow freely into the intake manifold12.

As different internal combustion engines have different operatingcharacteristics, the abutment or adjusting screw 64 is provided and maybe adjusted as desired to provide the desired biasing action on themovable portion 36 of the diaphragm 34.

With reference now more specifically to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawingsthere may be seen a modified form of ventilation valve assemblygenerally referred to by the reference numeral 22' and which includescertain components thereof similar to components of the valve assembly22 and therefore provided with corresponding prime numerals.

Instead of being provided with an outlet neck portion such as neckportion 44 and a neck portion such as neck portion 80, the secondsection 30 of the valve assembly 22' includes a pair of conduit inletend portions 86 which open into diametrically opposite portions of thesecond section 30 and whose inlet terminal ends are beveled as at 87.The valve actuator rod 38', in addition to having the valve head 48thereon for closing the outlet end of the nipple 72', is provided with apair of angulated plates 89 apertured as at 91 for engagement with thebeveled terminal ends 87. When engaged With and seated against thebeveled terminal ends 87, the plates 98 close the inlet end portions86'. Of course, the inlet end portions 86' comprise end portions ofconduits which are adapted to open into the intake manifold 12 beneaththe throttle valve of the carburetor 90.

The operation of the ventilation valve assembly 22' is substantiallyidentical to the operation of the valve assembly 22 and the nipple 72'may of course also be provided with a neck portion such as neck portion80.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine of the typeincluding an intake manifold portion under manifold vacuum and disposeddownstream from an associated throttle valve, a source of crankcase andpiston blow-by vapors, a ventilation assembly comprising housing meansdefining a vacuum chamber, a diaphragm 111 said chamber dividing thelatter into first and second separate closed compartments, said housingincluding an inlet opening into said first compartment, first largevapor conveying passage means communicating said inlet with said source,second large vapor conveying passage means communicating the interior ofsaid first compartment with the interior of said manifold for freeunrestricted flow of vapors from said chamber into said manifold inresponse to lower vapor pressure in said manifold, said housingincluding a valve member movable between first open and second closedpositions controlling the free flow of vapor from said first vaporconveying passage means into said first compartment, said diaphragmincluding a portion movable between first and second positions inresponse to greater and lesser pressure in said first compartmentrelative to the pressure in said second compartment and means connectingsaid movable portion to said valve member for movement of the latterbetween said first and second positions thereof in response to movementof said movable portion to its first and second positions, means biasingsaid movable portion toward said second position thereof, and meansconstantly communicating the interior of said second compartment withthe interior of said manifold, said assembly including means definingrestricted vapor flow passage means past said valve member communicatingsaid first and second vapor conveying passage means for restricted vaporflow therebetween when said valve member is in said second position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means biasing said movableportion toward said second position thereof includes means for adjustingthe biasing force effected thereby from the exterior of said housing.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said restricted vapor flow passagemeans past said valve member are defined entirely by passage meansextending through said valve member.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve member is operable toopen and close said inlet when in said first and second positionsthereof.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve member is operable tocontrol the flow of vapors from said first compartment into said secondvapor conveying passage means.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve member is operable tocontrol the flow of vapors into said first compartment from said firstvapor conveying means.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said valve member is operable tocontrol the flow of vapors from said first compartment into said secondvapor conveying assage means, said second vapor conveying meansincluding a pair of conduit end portions opening into said firstcompartment, said valve member including portions operable to close saidconduit end portions when said valve member is in said second position.

8. The combination of claim 1 including baflie means in said firstcompartment operable to block the free flow of liquids through saidfirst compartment and into said second vapor conveying passage means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,l98,790 4/1940 Roddewig.

(Other references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Krieck.Gefiroy. SchIader. Bosley. Linn. Jackson.

6 3,312,207 4/1967 Martin et a1. 3,370,578 2/1968 Spects 1231 19 AL L.SMITH, Primary Examiner 5 us. c1. X.R.

